HELLO! WELCOME TO THE

E-PORTFOLIO OF

MARTIS GOODWIN AND

THE LITTLE CENTER THAT

COULD.

THE CITY MANAGER SAID

THAT THE CENTER WAS

COSTING THE CITY MONEY

AND WAS NOT BEING USED.

The city wanted the center to become self-supporting

I accepted the challenge

COMMUNITY

COMMUNICATIONS

Community relations

I SET OUT TO FIND OUT WHY

COMMUNITY GROUPS DID NOT USE THE

CENTER

I INTRODUCED MYSELF TO CIVIC GROUP

LEADERS TO INQUIRE AS TO WHY THEY

DID NOT USE THE CENTER

Number one response: they did not feel that the

center management cared about their concerns but

only cared about clean-up requirements which the

groups considered far too strict.

MY FIRST ORDER OF

BUSINESS,

DISCONTINUE THIS

CLEAN-UP

REQUIREMENT.

Since the Center could not as

yet afford a cleaning crew, I

became the cleaning crew.

It Worked. COMMUNITY GROUPS BEGAN TO

JOIN THE CENTER AS THEIR HEADQUARTERS. Then began renting the Center

for their fund raisers. Also the members of the groups began renting the

Center for their private functions

Boy Scouts joined the

Center

Girl Scouts join the

Center

The Jaycees and a

Karate Club join the

Center.

The VFW joins the

Center.

Lions Club joins the

Center.

Adult Exercise Classes and

Hunter Safety Classes.

a youth sports

group

The Huron

Valley Yellow

Jackets join

the Center

It becomes A COMMUNITY CENTER

after years of being unused

Dances for the young and older.

Youth dances Senior Citizen dances

Rock Concerts began to book at

the Center

So Much Happening

Keeping the community informed of so

much happening

Now with a Center that they can call

home, community groups begin to

organize ways to raise money for

their projects

More fundraisers

GOVERNMENTAL

RELATIONS

Worked with the County to bring a

County Commissioners meeting to the

Center and to get the PR out to the

community concerning the meeting

Worked with the County to bring a County Commissioners meeting to Rockwood and to get it out to the community that it would occur

Worked with the County Executive‟s

Office to hold a public forum to discuss

the proposal to raise taxes to enlarge

jail space

Worked with the County Executive‟s office to hold a public forum to discuss the proposal to raise taxes to enlarge jail space

COMMUNITY

COMMUNICATIONS

Forging Relationships between Civic groups to create community

The Historical Society

requested permission

to place a holiday

tree at the Center. I

suggested that it be a

community tree and

allow all the

organizations that call

the Center home to be

invited to put

decorations on the

tree. It became a

yearly tradition.

Groups began working together to

design tours and educational

opportunities for the public

People from the youth sports program

called requesting an emergency blood

drive. I worked with the Red Cross to

get the community involved.

The community came together

The Community came together

A parent of a disabled child telephoned

me and asked me if the Center would

develop a program for children like hers

like the Center has the youth sports

program. After much thought I decided to

ask the adult exercise leader if she would

consider doing such a program. Between

her and I and few parents we created an

exercise program for the disabled.

It worked, and was successful

Her is a quote from The Huron Valley

Times concerning this program‟s success

“This is an example of listening to the public and creative thinking. After listening to two mothers of disabled children explain that their children cannot participate in the Center‟s youth programs, Martis Goodwin worked with them and some professionals to create this program. It is the first such program in Michigan, possibility the nation. In addition to individuals twenty-two residential homes signed up the first day. Recreational Directors and Residential Home Directors from three states have already come to the Center to talk with Goodwin and study his program in efforts to start programs of their own.” The Huron Valley Times

In appreciation

the groups that used the

Center began to give

back by giving donations

to the Center

The Yellow Jackets donate a

Trophy Case to the Center

The Rotary Club donates a projection screen

and venetians blinds to darken the room

when using the screen to the Center

Rotary Club gives the Center a Projection Screen and Venetians Blinds to Darken the room when using the screen

One day I gave a simple drawing of a sign for

the Center to the Mayor. I said that I would like

to get the community groups that use the Center

to work together to build the sign. He tossed the

picture back at me and said that it would never

get built because no ones cares about the Center

enough to pay for it. I started asking the groups

if they would be willing to help. Every group told

me that that would contribute. The Rotary Club

volunteered to spearhead the drive. It

happened. Much to the amazement of the mayor

and council.

The sign drive starts

Here is a picture of the 16‟ by 12‟ sign in

an article in the Downriver Magazine

This is a picture of the sign in an article about the Center in the „Downriver Magazine‟

The sign becomes a landmark, groups and individuals

take their picture standing in front of the sign

The Rotary Club pose

in front of the sign

The Brand Equity of the Center worked against me. Business people did not think that the Center would be suitable for their purposes.

They told me.

“Isn‟t that just a place for baby showers?”

Now the challenge was to

recruit paying customers.

MARKETING AND BUILDING

BRAND EQUITY

Business Leaders had other doubts also.

* Nobody has heard of the place.

* Nobody knows where it is. How

would anybody find it?

* It is too small for anything serious.

Also working against me was business

leaders automatically booking the

Renaissance Center or the Joe Louis

Center.

I was Persistent. I talked about the Center

everywhere. I started a aggressive public

relations campaign. „Before you book,

look at the Center for your next event.‟

I needed to develop selling strategies

The first strategy I developed was:

an organization that rented the

Rockwood Center for their exhibit or

trade show would receive more

attention and help than they would

from either the Renaissance Center of

the Joe Louis Center.

Finally, it worked. Kelly Services began

using the Center for its monthly out-services

A Michigan, Indiana, Ohio

regional lawn care trade show

and exhibit organizers

contacted the Center. They

doubted that the center could

meet their needs but they said

they would let me try.

Then I received the

challenge of my

first commercial

trade show

I went to work

I measured out the center to plan

where they could exhibit all their

lawn care equipment, placement

of information booths and a

comfortable passage though the

show.

I booked

their trade

show

The first

commercial exhibit

at the Center

I went to work to make sure the exhibit got

heavy PR

It was a success. The fears that the Center

being unknown and no one knew where it was

proved unimportant. People found the place

coming from more than three states.

The doubt that it was too small to do a trade

show was also proved wrong.

The Center was no longer viewed

as “just a place for baby showers”

THEN SOON

CAME A

NATIONAL SHOW

The National Cocker

Spaniel Dog Show

As the article

states, this dog

show always

used the

Renaissance

Center before,

but I “nailed it

down” for the

Center

After the dog show the Detroit Cocker Spaniel Club joined the center

EVENT

PLANNING

Worked with the State Police and various civic

groups to plan the 50th anniversary of the

Michigan State Police.

With the Center filled with the Commander of the Michigan State police and all the post commanders in the State of Michigan, numerous Mayors and State Officials I was informed by the kitchen staff that smoke was coming into the kitchen and feared a fire. I checked out the Center as quickly as I could and soon discovered that the smoke was from the Commander‟s helicopter coming in the kitchen air intake vent. I calmly handled the problem with nobody knowing that there had been a problem

Worked with numerous service groups

to coordinate an exhibition for

senior citizens

I helped plan state

wide events like

the Michigan State

Police anniversary,

regional events

like the senior

exhibition and

local events like

the yearly Mayor

Exchange Day

Then I planned

an international

event

Worked with the City

and County

governmental

officials bodies and

the Japanese

Company (Penstone

Inc.) executives in

planning this

welcome to

Rockwood‟s Industrial

Park.

HEADLINES

TELL THE

STORY

“The Center took in more revenue in the first six months

of this year than in all of last year.”

“Rentals and usage are up at the city‟s center”

“Rockwood‟s Center is the busiest in the southern Downriver area”

“Rentals increased two thirds last year”

Before Goodwin “it (the Center) was used little, if at all. At one point it sat empty, completely unused”

“He (Goodwin) took the bull by the horns and ran with it „ said the Mayor”

When Goodwin took over the Center

the only activity was a senior lunch

program. He has added several

activities”

THEN THE

AWARDS

BEGAN

“

“Mr. Goodwin

has created a climate

of support, trust and

respect between the

Center and the

community”

“Out of the 54

Centers in Wayne

County only one other

has been honored with

the Focal Point Award”

“Martis Goodwin,

Director of the Center

was praised for creating

an atmosphere at the

Center that

acknowledges the value

of human life and

affirms the dignity and

self-worth of the older

adult”

Letters to the editor concerning my work at the Center.

“Mr. Goodwin maintains excellent control. The kids like him and look up to him. I felt my kids were safe because of the rules Mr. Goodwin upheld”

“Mr. Goodwin’s smile and

excitement express someone who’s headstrong , concerned and aware of everything that is going on. He has a positive and coolheaded approach”

Quotes from other articles

“Revenue tripled in the first year” The Huron

Valley Times

“The Wayne County Health Department during

its last two inspections gave the Center 100

percent ratings, up from 60 and 70 percent

ratings prior to Goodwin taking over” The

Huron Valley Times

“Because of all the programs Goodwin

has developed at his Center, it is the only

Center in all of Out-Wayne County which

serves 10 percent or more of the

population in its service area. No other

city comes anywhere near to that

number.” The Monroe Evening News

“Martis Goodwin is very visible in South-

Eastern Michigan. He has proven himself

aggressive, creative and compassionate.

He has also proven to be a strong and

capable spokesperson for South-Eastern

Michigan. However, few people know

that in private, Martis Goodwin is a quiet,

kind, low-profile man.” The Huron Valley

Times

LETTERS

OF

RECOMMENDATION

“As a student this young man

exhibited a most unusual pattern

of study: first , he set about

thoroughly covering the

requirements of the course until he

has assured himself a top grade;

then he conducted his own

intellectual inquiry carrying

himself well beyond any

instructor‟s expectations „

“I heartily recommend him,

especially for activity that

requires a higher level of

intellectual ability”

“He (Martis Goodwin)

is thoroughly reliable,

dedicated to ethical

and intellectual values,

perceptive and

sensitive in his

relationships with

other persons. I

recommend him to you

without qualification”

“He (Martis Goodwin) is a

hard-working individual who

took his responsibilities

seriously”

“Martis had to master a new

and complicated “trade

language” as well as a host

of complex procedures. In

both respects, Martis

demonstrated quick

comprehension and a solid

retention of new terminology

and concepts”

“He (Martis

Goodwin) has

been a

conscientious,

dependable

employee. He

works equally well

on his own or

working with

others”

“His (Martis

Goodwin) ability

to work with

numerous people,

superiors, peers,

subordinates, to

bring an activity to

closure is

excellent.”

“He (Martis Goodwin) functioned

extraordinarily well with my staff.

His energy or aggressiveness is

contained in far more subtle job

skills.

-a listening ability of no mean

proportions

-calm detachment reflects his

objectivity

-tenacious about fact finding and

able to make practical applications

of complex situations in written form

-understands how to manage conflict

by developing consensus”

Thank you for taking

the time to review my

e-portfollio. I look

forward to working

with you.